Commentary

From his assault on food stamps to his eviscerating of the news media, Newt Gingrich literally brought crowds to their feet during last week's debates in South Carolina. For a moment, you could almost hear the rebel yell. But Florida has been a different matter.

Dennis and Buelah Apple came to StoryCorps to talk about their son Denny. Nearly 21 years ago, Denny came down with mononucleosis. Before going to bed one night, he took some medicine and talked about where he wanted to sleep.

In the bucolic setting of The Twin by Gerbrand Bakker, the joys and pitfalls of sibling rivalry are given new life. Author Amy Waldman says the book's sparse prose and stark setting provide the backdrop for a moving story of familial resentment.

The flap involving Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and President Obama is the latest example of politicians behaving badly. Behavior that would have been seen as inappropriate in earlier eras now is viewed as principled confrontation.

Both Close and co-star Janet McTeer have received Academy Award nominations for their roles in the period drama. Set in Dublin before World War I, it centers on a woman who finds more freedom by living life as a man.

For a moment, put aside how Penn State's Joe Paterno — whose credo was "Success with Honor" — acted with regard to pedophilia, and consider Coach Paterno, which is what he still was barely 11 weeks ago. Will any college coach ever again possess the power he did over his university? It doesn't seem likely.

Football season is drawing to a close, and baseball has yet to begin, but fantasy sports are so popular, they keep the thrill of competition alive all year. Commentator Laura Lorson has a fantasy league, too — but it's not the type of competition you might expect.

The two South Carolina debates featured raucous audiences who cheered on former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. This time, it was former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney who seemed more comfortable before the more sedate crowd.

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